04 February 2012
It's been one week since we "buried" mom and it is so difficult to believe that I can't simply call her whenever I want. She was always my rock and my pilar of strength. Now what? Have stayed close to my dad and he seems to be holding up pretty good considering 61 years of marriage! How lonely he must be without his loving partner in crime. My pain can really be just a fraction of what he is feeling. I am so grateful to Lee former loving care of Mom and Dad in their golden years. I know she feels that it is a blessing, but it is hard for her at times. I am grateful for her's and Cliff's sacrifices and for being so kind to them!
01 February 2012
Sad :(
It's been a week since i lost my mom. I miss her so much and would give anything to be able to talk to her again. She was the best mom anybody could hope to have and i am one luck boy to have had her for 44 years!!
Miss ya my sweet mama!!!
Miss ya my sweet mama!!!
29 January 2012
03 June 2009
Puppy Politics:
Well, it’s been since Moses was a small boy that I have posted anything on my blog and I have stumbled upon an issue that I feel it necessary and worthy to blog about. So, I’m dusting off my place on the web to make room for very important information. Sit up straight and pay attention! :)
About a month ago, I was told by a colleague that there was an island called Pulau Ketam not too far from Kuala Lumpur where the villagers took all of the stray dogs and deported them to an uninhabited island nearby. Now, this island is uninhabited because it is uninhabitable…it is full of mangroves and quick-sand. They put these dogs on this island to fend for themselves and to die a slow death of starvation and thirst. As some of the weaker dogs started to die, the survivors were forced to cannibalize their “friends.” Well, since the word broke out, there have been rescue efforts to get the surviving dogs off that island and back on the mainland in sanctuaries. There have been many organizations involved here, Furry Friend’s Farm (FFF), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), PAWS, SAS and others who have joined in this rescue effort and to work with the local villagers to stop the deportations and to work together on the problem with the strays in that area.
Some people have placed the blame of this on religion. To this I say, “I want no part of that conversation!!” I have many friends and colleagues who are Muslim who would never dream of treating one of Allah’s creatures like this. Islam is a religion of love for God and His creations and not one of hate. To this point, the man who owns the fish farm/hatchery, which is used by the FFF in this rescue effort as a staging/holding area, is a faithful Muslim and he’s also adopted one of the dogs. The Muslims that I know are good and kind and a very loving people!
Ever since I have heard of the plight of the dogs it has weighed heavily on my mind and I have been meaning to do something to help in the effort to get these dogs someplace where they can be treated humanely. I have read the daily blogs of the “rescuers” and keep saying, “Scott, you’ve got to do something to make a difference. No matter how small it is, do something!” So finally, this past week, I decided that I will get off my lazy duff and contribute in some small way. I have been partial to the FFF for a couple of reasons:
1- They really started the efforts of making a difference and getting these dogs to a more humane environment.
2- They have a very strict “no-kill” policy. While I do believe that putting a bullet in the brain of these dogs is a better solution than to deport them to some inhospitable environment is better, I don’t believe it is always the best option.
So, last week I sent an sms to Sabrina and asked her what supplies does the FFF need at the current. Her response was that they needed shampoo and FrontLine (flea and tick repellant – the best since it lasts for a month even if you bathe the animals). So, I gladly went to the pet supply store and got a few bottles of shampoo and a few bottles of FrontLine. I also rounded up some extra stuff that I had around the house in terms of chew toys, tug ropes, feeding/water bowls, etc. I wanted to donate food as well but that is a touchy item since I don’t know what food they’re already eating and changing foods can be quite a mess – literally.
FFF is located in a town called Kundang which should be, at max., an hour away from my place. Shortly after noon on Sunday, I started the trek to the country to deliver the supplies. I plugged in the name of the city in my GPS and headed off. Sure enough, I arrived to the town in the right amount of time. However, the location of the FFF is pretty remote and isn’t on the mapping software on my GPS system. So I drove around looking for Kg Baru in Kundang for about 2.5 hours. I asked for help from the police, the petrol station, the random Indian on a motorbike, nobody knew where this place was. I drove around so much that my own dogs became car sick and I had that to deal with. :( Eventually, I got wise and looked up the long/lat coordinates for the FFF on the internet and plugged that in to my GPS and arrived there at about 4:00 or so.
When we arrived we were greeted by several volunteers at the farm and so many dogs. FFF has well over 100 total dogs and they have over 20 dogs that have been rescued off that despicable island. The state of these dogs is so sad it really makes you reflect on how cruel man can be. These rescued dogs were terrified! Some had had wounds that were open so long they had flesh eating maggots in them (luckily they were treated and healed at a vet before getting to the farm. Some were had physical scars, from being torn up by the mangroves, on their faces and heads. Some were so skinny you could see the bone in their shoulders and back – not to mention ribs. One in particular had his tail tucked permanently between his legs and rolled into a passive position every time somebody even walked near his cage. Those that had been there longer than just a handful of days were starting to mend in body and spirit but were still very sad in their overall demeanor and appearance. It was sincerely one of the saddest experiences of my life. How can a person be so cruel?
Well, after that visit, I had decided that I personally needed to do more for these poor dogs. One of the ways is to let people know – through this blog and other means – of this atrocity and to voice my opinion on how we should treat animals. I think that Earth and all things in and of it were created by God for man’s use and well-being. This would include: plants, trees, fish, cats, dogs, cows, deer, etc. All of these were created by God – no matter what name you may call Him. Because of this, we should view all of these things as blessing from Him and because they are blessings we have the responsibility to treat these blessings with the greatest amount of respect and dignity and to use them prudently and judiciously. Anything else and I think that He will look upon use and unwise stewards of His blessings and goodness.
About a month ago, I was told by a colleague that there was an island called Pulau Ketam not too far from Kuala Lumpur where the villagers took all of the stray dogs and deported them to an uninhabited island nearby. Now, this island is uninhabited because it is uninhabitable…it is full of mangroves and quick-sand. They put these dogs on this island to fend for themselves and to die a slow death of starvation and thirst. As some of the weaker dogs started to die, the survivors were forced to cannibalize their “friends.” Well, since the word broke out, there have been rescue efforts to get the surviving dogs off that island and back on the mainland in sanctuaries. There have been many organizations involved here, Furry Friend’s Farm (FFF), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), PAWS, SAS and others who have joined in this rescue effort and to work with the local villagers to stop the deportations and to work together on the problem with the strays in that area.
Some people have placed the blame of this on religion. To this I say, “I want no part of that conversation!!” I have many friends and colleagues who are Muslim who would never dream of treating one of Allah’s creatures like this. Islam is a religion of love for God and His creations and not one of hate. To this point, the man who owns the fish farm/hatchery, which is used by the FFF in this rescue effort as a staging/holding area, is a faithful Muslim and he’s also adopted one of the dogs. The Muslims that I know are good and kind and a very loving people!
Ever since I have heard of the plight of the dogs it has weighed heavily on my mind and I have been meaning to do something to help in the effort to get these dogs someplace where they can be treated humanely. I have read the daily blogs of the “rescuers” and keep saying, “Scott, you’ve got to do something to make a difference. No matter how small it is, do something!” So finally, this past week, I decided that I will get off my lazy duff and contribute in some small way. I have been partial to the FFF for a couple of reasons:
1- They really started the efforts of making a difference and getting these dogs to a more humane environment.
2- They have a very strict “no-kill” policy. While I do believe that putting a bullet in the brain of these dogs is a better solution than to deport them to some inhospitable environment is better, I don’t believe it is always the best option.
So, last week I sent an sms to Sabrina and asked her what supplies does the FFF need at the current. Her response was that they needed shampoo and FrontLine (flea and tick repellant – the best since it lasts for a month even if you bathe the animals). So, I gladly went to the pet supply store and got a few bottles of shampoo and a few bottles of FrontLine. I also rounded up some extra stuff that I had around the house in terms of chew toys, tug ropes, feeding/water bowls, etc. I wanted to donate food as well but that is a touchy item since I don’t know what food they’re already eating and changing foods can be quite a mess – literally.
FFF is located in a town called Kundang which should be, at max., an hour away from my place. Shortly after noon on Sunday, I started the trek to the country to deliver the supplies. I plugged in the name of the city in my GPS and headed off. Sure enough, I arrived to the town in the right amount of time. However, the location of the FFF is pretty remote and isn’t on the mapping software on my GPS system. So I drove around looking for Kg Baru in Kundang for about 2.5 hours. I asked for help from the police, the petrol station, the random Indian on a motorbike, nobody knew where this place was. I drove around so much that my own dogs became car sick and I had that to deal with. :( Eventually, I got wise and looked up the long/lat coordinates for the FFF on the internet and plugged that in to my GPS and arrived there at about 4:00 or so.
When we arrived we were greeted by several volunteers at the farm and so many dogs. FFF has well over 100 total dogs and they have over 20 dogs that have been rescued off that despicable island. The state of these dogs is so sad it really makes you reflect on how cruel man can be. These rescued dogs were terrified! Some had had wounds that were open so long they had flesh eating maggots in them (luckily they were treated and healed at a vet before getting to the farm. Some were had physical scars, from being torn up by the mangroves, on their faces and heads. Some were so skinny you could see the bone in their shoulders and back – not to mention ribs. One in particular had his tail tucked permanently between his legs and rolled into a passive position every time somebody even walked near his cage. Those that had been there longer than just a handful of days were starting to mend in body and spirit but were still very sad in their overall demeanor and appearance. It was sincerely one of the saddest experiences of my life. How can a person be so cruel?
Well, after that visit, I had decided that I personally needed to do more for these poor dogs. One of the ways is to let people know – through this blog and other means – of this atrocity and to voice my opinion on how we should treat animals. I think that Earth and all things in and of it were created by God for man’s use and well-being. This would include: plants, trees, fish, cats, dogs, cows, deer, etc. All of these were created by God – no matter what name you may call Him. Because of this, we should view all of these things as blessing from Him and because they are blessings we have the responsibility to treat these blessings with the greatest amount of respect and dignity and to use them prudently and judiciously. Anything else and I think that He will look upon use and unwise stewards of His blessings and goodness.
As I stood there looking at these poor defenseless animals that had been abused so badly, I wondered how God could ever forgive those that caused this thing to happen to His creations. I’m still searching for that answer.
For further reading on the plight of the Pulau Ketam dogs, follow these links:
http://www.mycen.com.my/rescue/ and http://www.mycen.com.my/rescue/updates.html
http://pitch.pummkin.net/
http://dog-rescue-campaign.blogspot.com/
http://remembersheena.blogspot.com/
http://furryfriendsfarm2006.blogspot.com/
http://birdstalkingtoo.blogspot.com/
For further reading on the plight of the Pulau Ketam dogs, follow these links:
http://www.mycen.com.my/rescue/ and http://www.mycen.com.my/rescue/updates.html
http://pitch.pummkin.net/
http://dog-rescue-campaign.blogspot.com/
http://remembersheena.blogspot.com/
http://furryfriendsfarm2006.blogspot.com/
http://birdstalkingtoo.blogspot.com/
23 September 2008
No Fear! - Yeah Right
To clean up a couple of things from comments:
1. Chan, I have to fire somebody everyday for something. If I don't do it, I will die. I fire people who make me do thinks I don't want to. I fire people who show up to meetings early. I fire people for showing up to meetings late. I fire people who forget to invite me to lunch. I fire people who leave the office 5 minutes early on the day I want to have a 5 minute conversation at the end of the day. Pretty much I use the phrase, "You're fired!" on average I would say 5 times daily. Most people just look at me like, "Can't you get a new line?"
2. Katie, I do love my dogs. I think that to not love them would be against the plan of God. I believe that I have a responsibility to care for them, keep them safe and secure, feed them, and not do them any harm. I believe that they can learn and think and have personalities and are generally adorable. I am grateful that I have them; they are great companions and very loyal and take away some of the loneliness of being a gazillion miles from home. Because of those things, I consider them as "part of my family." That being said, I realize that they are NOT people and were put on this earth for our use/consumption as all things were. I realize that I don't love them in the same way that I do my mom and dad, sister and brothers, nephews and nieces. I realize that they have needs that are important, but they don't over-ride the needs of a fellow human being. I consider them my "kids" the same way I consider the earth my "mother." I definitely have a responsibility to be a good steward of both my kids and Mother Earth. :)
3. As you are most likely aware, the senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste) can do great things to put somebodies mind into another state (not like the USA). For example, if I smell cinnamon I immediately am brought back to my youth and having my mom making home-made cinnamon rolls. For this reason, I can't eat cinnamon rolls that are not made my her. When I hear Depeche Mode, my immediate thought are of Temaire. You guys get the idea.
Now, before moving to Kuala Lumpur for work, I worked for a previous company that had me living in Manila, the Philippines - of and on - for the previous 2.5 years. Manila - as you may or may not be aware - is 12 hours difference (during Daylight Savings) from Eastern Time in the USA. The headquarters for my previous employer was in the Los Angeles area and therefore the separation of time was 15 hours in the summer months and 16 hours in the winter. Safe to say that night-time in Asia is day-time in America. Now, to keep some sanity, I started work between 3 and 5 in the morning when I was in Manila (because I think that seeing some day-light every day is important). That would mean that I would begin working sometime between noon and 2pm pacific. The math is not so hard here, right?
Unfortunately, the bozos that I used to work for were mathematically challenged or they were just plain inconsiderate. On an average of about 8 times per week (and weekends were not out of the question) I would get a phone call from one of the "executives" in California. It was never somebody in accounting, or HR, who hardly ever called me, because they could figure out that I was probably sleeping. It was ALWAYS the owner of the company, some VP, or CFO, CIO, etc. Now, I don't mind being awakened in the middle of the night when there is a genuine urgent need that should be addressed immediately. When somebody calls me once in a blue moon, and wakes me up, for something stupid, I generally don't mind. When I get 8 calls a week for something non-urgent, stupid and something that could wait - not only a few hours but a few days - while I'm sleeping, I get irritated. When it is my bosses, I tend to not vent my frustration about it to them. I mean come on, who calls people at 2 in the morning, KNOWING that they are sleeping? They're the idiots who told me to keep that schedule! When I was in Manila, I had a phone with a US based SIM card that would roam internationally. So, these guys would dial my US phone number and my "international phone" would ring sometimes two or three times a night. The ring tone was the "Nokia Tone." One time, toward the end of my stint with these dorks, I lost it. When the called to ask me we purchased the HP printer instead of the Cannon printer, I completely lost it! I informed them that I could understand why they would need to know that right now because if they didn't, the earth would stop spinning and we would all fall off. We ended the conversation and I tossed (launched is probably a better word) the phone toward the wall and it was rendered useless (broken to a gazillion pieces). I then had to purchase a new (2nd hand) non-Nokia phone. Ever since the HP v Cannon call, I cringe whenever I hear the Nokia Tune. If I'm walking down the street and I hear it, I seriously get chills. It's eerie to me. I would seriously fire somebody if that sound happened in my office.
So there, that's why I fear the Nokia ring-tone. It's stupid and irrational I know, but so is thinking that the plane is going down in a ball of flames, that the toy poodle will eat you to bits, that every spider is a Recluse or Hobo, that you will fall over the top of the building if you look over the edge. All phobias are stupid and irrational, but they're very very real to the person who suffers! Believe me, I suffer! I'm a victim and it's not my fault! I want government compensation. I hope BO gets in the white house, I'd probably qualify for it then!
Until next time - Ciao!
-S
p.s. i thought about embedding the Nokia ring-tone on this post, but couldn't figure out how to make it so i didn't have to hear it...no luck there without turning off my speakers and that is just too much bother. if you're not familiar with it, you can get that sound by clicking HERE.
-s
1. Chan, I have to fire somebody everyday for something. If I don't do it, I will die. I fire people who make me do thinks I don't want to. I fire people who show up to meetings early. I fire people for showing up to meetings late. I fire people who forget to invite me to lunch. I fire people who leave the office 5 minutes early on the day I want to have a 5 minute conversation at the end of the day. Pretty much I use the phrase, "You're fired!" on average I would say 5 times daily. Most people just look at me like, "Can't you get a new line?"
2. Katie, I do love my dogs. I think that to not love them would be against the plan of God. I believe that I have a responsibility to care for them, keep them safe and secure, feed them, and not do them any harm. I believe that they can learn and think and have personalities and are generally adorable. I am grateful that I have them; they are great companions and very loyal and take away some of the loneliness of being a gazillion miles from home. Because of those things, I consider them as "part of my family." That being said, I realize that they are NOT people and were put on this earth for our use/consumption as all things were. I realize that I don't love them in the same way that I do my mom and dad, sister and brothers, nephews and nieces. I realize that they have needs that are important, but they don't over-ride the needs of a fellow human being. I consider them my "kids" the same way I consider the earth my "mother." I definitely have a responsibility to be a good steward of both my kids and Mother Earth. :)
3. As you are most likely aware, the senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste) can do great things to put somebodies mind into another state (not like the USA). For example, if I smell cinnamon I immediately am brought back to my youth and having my mom making home-made cinnamon rolls. For this reason, I can't eat cinnamon rolls that are not made my her. When I hear Depeche Mode, my immediate thought are of Temaire. You guys get the idea.
Now, before moving to Kuala Lumpur for work, I worked for a previous company that had me living in Manila, the Philippines - of and on - for the previous 2.5 years. Manila - as you may or may not be aware - is 12 hours difference (during Daylight Savings) from Eastern Time in the USA. The headquarters for my previous employer was in the Los Angeles area and therefore the separation of time was 15 hours in the summer months and 16 hours in the winter. Safe to say that night-time in Asia is day-time in America. Now, to keep some sanity, I started work between 3 and 5 in the morning when I was in Manila (because I think that seeing some day-light every day is important). That would mean that I would begin working sometime between noon and 2pm pacific. The math is not so hard here, right?
Unfortunately, the bozos that I used to work for were mathematically challenged or they were just plain inconsiderate. On an average of about 8 times per week (and weekends were not out of the question) I would get a phone call from one of the "executives" in California. It was never somebody in accounting, or HR, who hardly ever called me, because they could figure out that I was probably sleeping. It was ALWAYS the owner of the company, some VP, or CFO, CIO, etc. Now, I don't mind being awakened in the middle of the night when there is a genuine urgent need that should be addressed immediately. When somebody calls me once in a blue moon, and wakes me up, for something stupid, I generally don't mind. When I get 8 calls a week for something non-urgent, stupid and something that could wait - not only a few hours but a few days - while I'm sleeping, I get irritated. When it is my bosses, I tend to not vent my frustration about it to them. I mean come on, who calls people at 2 in the morning, KNOWING that they are sleeping? They're the idiots who told me to keep that schedule! When I was in Manila, I had a phone with a US based SIM card that would roam internationally. So, these guys would dial my US phone number and my "international phone" would ring sometimes two or three times a night. The ring tone was the "Nokia Tone." One time, toward the end of my stint with these dorks, I lost it. When the called to ask me we purchased the HP printer instead of the Cannon printer, I completely lost it! I informed them that I could understand why they would need to know that right now because if they didn't, the earth would stop spinning and we would all fall off. We ended the conversation and I tossed (launched is probably a better word) the phone toward the wall and it was rendered useless (broken to a gazillion pieces). I then had to purchase a new (2nd hand) non-Nokia phone. Ever since the HP v Cannon call, I cringe whenever I hear the Nokia Tune. If I'm walking down the street and I hear it, I seriously get chills. It's eerie to me. I would seriously fire somebody if that sound happened in my office.
So there, that's why I fear the Nokia ring-tone. It's stupid and irrational I know, but so is thinking that the plane is going down in a ball of flames, that the toy poodle will eat you to bits, that every spider is a Recluse or Hobo, that you will fall over the top of the building if you look over the edge. All phobias are stupid and irrational, but they're very very real to the person who suffers! Believe me, I suffer! I'm a victim and it's not my fault! I want government compensation. I hope BO gets in the white house, I'd probably qualify for it then!
Until next time - Ciao!
-S
p.s. i thought about embedding the Nokia ring-tone on this post, but couldn't figure out how to make it so i didn't have to hear it...no luck there without turning off my speakers and that is just too much bother. if you're not familiar with it, you can get that sound by clicking HERE.
-s
22 September 2008
Chantelle is Fired
Thank you very much, Mrs. Sundwall. I like to read these things about others, but hate to think of what to say about myself. The only reason I'm doing this at all is because I get a giggle out of them so somebody else might get a giggle out of mine.
5 Joys:
5 Joys:
- My Family
- My Work
- Travelling
- New Cultures
- Seeing Everyday the Blessings from God
5 Fears:
- Having my Knees Lock and Falling Down the Stairs
- Heights
- Dying a Painful Death
- Falling from the Sky (Parachute)
- Nokia Ring Tone (if you want to know why, you must request it in comments ) :)
5 Obsessions:
- Fighting Jet-lag When Travelling
- Good Chinese Food
- Drinking at Least 2 Litres of Water Daily
- Keeping up on Local Political Climate
- Avoiding Expatriates Who Continually Put-down the Country/People Where They are Currently Living
5 Surprising Facts:
- I Live in Asia
- I am a Corporate Executive (this one still scares even me!) :)
- I Want to Work/Live in Latin America
- I Do Not View my Dogs as my "Kids"
- I Enjoy Watching/Experiencing Bad Weather
I shant bother to "tag" anybody as Chantelle has tagged EVERYBODY that I know on Blogger. I have a lot to tell from the weekend so I will post later (some good stories). :)
Ciao!
-S
17 September 2008
It Keeps Going and Going and Going...
So, I thought that I needed to say one thing from yesterdays post. The lady on the elevator was just rude and that usually is an exception from the Chinese. Most of them are not rude in their desire to be first. Just like any culture, there are rude people and not rude people...this lady just happened to be rude.
So, yesterday after work, I had to stop at the grocery store to get some stuff. While waiting in line to have my produce weighed (they don't do it at the check out lane like in the USA), there are about five of us. As it becomes my turn, a little old Chinese lady slipped off to the side of the line and very carefully laid her bananas on the scale so that the produce lady had no choice but to weigh her bananas before my produce. Now, with this lady I didn't mind, she wasn't really assuming and I didn't feel she was being rude. In fact, she smiled at me as if to say, "You get it, I'm old and you're not. I should go first my legs ache." :) The produce lady and I just smiled at each other and it was no big deal. I think they lady stole 20 seconds of my day....I'll get over it. :)
As I'm carrying my grocerys into the lobby of the condo, I'm waiting on the elevator again; when all of a sudden, I look to the door and see "Elevator Lady!" She stood in the elevator lobby with us and when the door opened, we all climbed on and she stayed in the lobby. We held the door open for her but she wouldn't get on. When we asked her if she was "going up?" she said, "No, I'll wait for the next." You should have seen the look on her face. I think that she was embarassed to see me let alone ride the elevator with me. We closed the doors and went on our way. However, as I look back on it, she was probably the wise one. She waited for the next elevator and probably was a lone rider and went straight to her floor without stopping for the six people on my elevator. :)
OK, I'm off to a meeting. Have a good one!!!
Ciao!
-S
So, yesterday after work, I had to stop at the grocery store to get some stuff. While waiting in line to have my produce weighed (they don't do it at the check out lane like in the USA), there are about five of us. As it becomes my turn, a little old Chinese lady slipped off to the side of the line and very carefully laid her bananas on the scale so that the produce lady had no choice but to weigh her bananas before my produce. Now, with this lady I didn't mind, she wasn't really assuming and I didn't feel she was being rude. In fact, she smiled at me as if to say, "You get it, I'm old and you're not. I should go first my legs ache." :) The produce lady and I just smiled at each other and it was no big deal. I think they lady stole 20 seconds of my day....I'll get over it. :)
As I'm carrying my grocerys into the lobby of the condo, I'm waiting on the elevator again; when all of a sudden, I look to the door and see "Elevator Lady!" She stood in the elevator lobby with us and when the door opened, we all climbed on and she stayed in the lobby. We held the door open for her but she wouldn't get on. When we asked her if she was "going up?" she said, "No, I'll wait for the next." You should have seen the look on her face. I think that she was embarassed to see me let alone ride the elevator with me. We closed the doors and went on our way. However, as I look back on it, she was probably the wise one. She waited for the next elevator and probably was a lone rider and went straight to her floor without stopping for the six people on my elevator. :)
OK, I'm off to a meeting. Have a good one!!!
Ciao!
-S
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